Chrysanthemum plant named `Chabaxo`

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Chrysanthemum cultivar named `Chabaxo` is provided. The new cultivar was the result of a controlled breeding program. Attractive yellow double blossoms are formed in profusion as a round ball surrounding the plant. Recurrent flower production throughout the year is possible. The response period of the flowers is approximately eight weeks. When using natural flowering production, the resulting flowers from a distance resemble those having a spider form which is attributable to variation in the lengths and configurations of the ray florets. The plant possesses relatively soft stems, forms attractive dark green leaves, and commonly assumes a height of approximately 25 to 30 cm. The bright yellow blossom coloration contrasts nicely with the dark green foliage. The new cultivar is particularly well suited for use in the production of a decorative pot Chrysanthemum. No growth regulator is required to achieve the relatively short plant height.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum, botanically known as Dendranthema grandiflora, andhereinafter is referred to by the cultivar name `Chabaxo`.

The new cultivar is the product of a planned breeding program which hadas its objective the creation of a new Chrysanthemum cultivar that isintended primarily for pot mum production.

The breeding program which resulted in the production of the newcultivar of the present invention was carried out in a controlledenvironment during November, 1986, at Nuaille, Trementines, France. Thefemale parent (i.e., the seed parent) was the `Fada` cultivar(non-patented in the United States) which was bred by a French breedernamed Bernard, having double purple flat flowers, tubular ray florets,and which could be grown only in a natural production cycle, and themale parent (i.e., the pollen parent) was the `Domi` cultivar(non-patented in the United States) which was an old French varietyhaving small honey-colored anemone flowers. The parentage of the newcultivar can be summarized as follows:

    `Fada`×`Domi`.

The seeds resulting from the above pollination were sown and many smallplants were obtained which were physically biologically different fromeach other. Selective study resulted in the identification of a singleplant of the new cultivar.

It was found that the new cultivar of the present invention:

(a) exhibits in profusion attractive decorative double yellow blossoms,

(b) is highly amenable to branching by pinching,

(c) forms attractive foliage,

(d) achieves a short plant height, and

(e) is particularly well suited for flowering as a pot mum on arecurrent basis throughout the year.

The new cultivar is intended primarily as a decorative pot Chrysanthemumfor growing outdoors at temperatures above freezing. However, the newcultivar also can be grown indoors.

In the absence of debudding approximately 7 to 9 blossoms commonly formper stem. Also, the new cultivar can be grown as a disbud to formstriking blooms. An increased number of branches readily can be inducedby pinching. The pinching of a cutting commonly produces approximately 6to 9 stems per cutting. No growth regulator is required to produce theshort plant height; however, a growth regulator optionally can beutilized.

The new cultivar can be considered to be an October-flowering greenhousevariety with the natural flowering season commonly occurring in weeks 42to 43 of the year. The blossoms are long-lasting and commonly can bemaintained on the plant for approximately three weeks.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by cuttings taken during 1988,as performed in Nuaille, Trementines, France, in a controlledenvironment has demonstrated that the characteristics of the newcultivar as herein described are firmly fixed and are retained throughsuccessive generations of asexual propagation.

`Chabaxo` has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light, day length, contact with pesticides and/or subjection to growthretardant treatments.

The new `Chabaxo` cultivar is being marketed under the VESTA trademark.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photographs show as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this character,typical plants and plant parts of the new cultivar of the presentinvention. The plants were 12 weeks of age and were grown at Nuaille,Trementines, France, under standard greenhouse conditions whichapproximate those commonly utilized for the production of decorative potmums. The plant had been pinched once and had not been disbudded. Nogrowth regulator was utilized.

FIG. 1 illustrates a typical stem;

FIG. 2 illustrates the top view of a typical leaf from the lower part ofthe stem;

FIG. 3 illustrates the under view of a typical leaf from the lower partof the stem;

FIG. 4 illustrates the top view of a typical leaf from the upper part ofthe stem;

FIG. 5 illustrated the under view of a typical leaf from the upper partof the stem;

FIG. 6 illustrates the side view of a pair of typical unopened buds;

FIG. 7 illustrates the side view of a pair of typical flowers in thecourse of opening;

FIG. 8 illustrates the top view of a typical open flower;

FIG. 9 illustrates the under view of a typical open flower;

FIG. 10 illustrates the side view of a typical open flower;

FIG. 11 illustrates the top view of three typical outer-ray florets;

FIG. 12 illustrates the under view of three typical outer-ray florets;

FIG. 13 illustrates several typical inner-ray florets which are of verysmall size; and

FIG. 14 illustrates a side of a typical inflorescence with buds andblossoms in various stagtes of opening.

FIG. 15 illustrates a typical whole mature plant while blossoming.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of colors described hereafter isThe R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London,England. In some instances more common color terms are provided and areto be accorded their usual dictionary significance. The plants describedwere grown at Nuaille, Trementines, France, in 20 cm. pots, three plantsto a pot, were rooted in late May and were stopped in early July. Allprimary laterals of the plants were retained. The plants were grownoutdoors until late September and then were grown in the greenhouse witha minimum temperature of 15.5° C. These conditions approximate thosecommonly utilized for the production of decorative pot mums.

Classification:

Botanical.--Dendranthema grandiflora. cv. `Chabaxo`.

Commercial.--Decorative pot mum.

Inflorescence

A. Capitulum:

Type.--Double.

Number of rows of involucral bracts.--Commonly five or less.

Diameter across face when grown indoors.--Approximately 50 to 65 mm. onaverage for a single blossom when fully expanded.

Diameter across face when grown outdoors during theautumn.--Approximately 80 to 100 mm. on average for a single blossomwhen fully expanded.

Frequency.--Corymbiform. The blossoms are borne in the shape of a corymb(i.e., as a substantially flat-topped flower cluster in which theindividual stalks grown upward from various points on a main stem toapproximately the same height).

Outside bud coloration.--Yellow Group 6D with some weak orange tints atthe distal one-half.

B. Corolla of ray and disc florets:

Receptacle.--Small to medium and conically raised.

Disc florets.--Tubular, yellow in coloration, long in overall length,few in number, very difficult to observe, and tend to be scattered amongthe ray florets with a samll cluster at the apex of the receptacle thatis visible only when the ray florets are removed.

General tonality.--Yellow.

Color ray florets.--When mature the outer side of most ray flroets isYellow Group 8B, and inner side of most ray florets is between YellowGroup 5A and Yellow Group 6A.

Configuration ray florets.--The longitundinal axis of the majority ofthe ray florets is reflexed weakly along most of the distal one-half.The longitudinal axis of the ray florets from outer rows also commonlyis reflexed weakly along most of the axis. The length of the corollatube from the ray florets is medium and increases to very long in theouter rows. The cross-section of the ray florets is convex, therecommonly are two keels, and the ray florets often are spatulate inconfiguration. The florets with shorter corolla tubes tend to exhibitspatulate ends, and those with very long corolla tubes tend to bequilled at the ends. The ray florets are thin, and their surfaces aretextured. The tips of the ray florets are rounded. The ray floretscommonly are approximately 3 cm. in length and approximately 0.7 cm. inwidth on average.

C. Reproductive organs:

Androecium.--Generally present with disc florets and absent in rayflorets.

Gynoecium.--Generally present with most disc florets and with most ofthe ray florets.

Pollen.--Formed in a slight quantity and golden-yellow in coloration.

Fragrance.--Typical of Chrysanthemum.

Plant

A. General appearance:

Height.--Very short, and approximately 25 to 30 cm. in height onaverage.

B. Foliage:

Color.--Green Group 137C on the upper surface, and Green Group 137D onthe under surface.

Size.--The size varies with the location on the stem and issubstantially influenced by the level of nutrition that is receivedduring the growing period. The length to width ratio commony is greaterthan 2:1 (as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3).

Configuration.--Lobed (as illustrated).

Texture.--Fleshy.

Serration.--Medium.

Length of lower lobe.--Medium to long.

Shape of base of sinus.--Rounded.

Shape of base of leaf.--Obtuse, occasionally asymmetric.

Claw in base of sinus between lateral lobes.--Absent.

Margins of sinus between lateral lobes.--Converging.

Apex.--Mucronate.

Stems.--Thin, angular in cross-section, present some brittleness.Yellow-Green Group 146D in coloration, and with anthocyanin colroationin patches alogn the stem.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named`Chabaxo`, substantially as herein shown and described, which:(a)exhibits in profusion attractive decorative double yellow blossoms, (b)is highly amenable to branching by pinching, (c) forms attractivefoliage, (d) achieves a short plant height, and (e) is particularly wellsuited for flowering as a pot mum on a recurrent basis throughout theyear.